Engineered to design
Being a designer wasn’t the plan
I started as an engineering student, drawn in by problem-solving and the satisfaction of making things work (not to mention an encouraging and persuasive engineer father). I had a genuine aptitude for math and technical thinking, but found myself drawn to communication, language, and how people make sense of information. That engineering foundation never left me, it just found a different application.
A comment and a new path
The pivot to design came when a Visual Communication professor suggested I apply for an open design internship while reviewing one of my projects. That unexpected encouragement helped guide me. I got the job, discovered that design could be as rigorous and satisfying as engineering, and didn’t look back.
Learning by doing
I spent twelve years at Morningstar working with complex data, information design, and typography alongside talented colleagues parsing dense projects with real stakes. It was the right environment: problems with layers, solutions that had to be precise, and enough moving parts to be genuinely engaging. By the time I went solo, I knew what I was good at and what I enjoyed most.
Going out on my own
I’ve worked with agencies, in-house teams, and nonprofits that I admire on everything from research reports and transit campaigns to wayfinding systems and a David Bowie exhibit. Most projects involve some combination of complexity and constraint. That’s not a complaint. That’s the part I find compelling.
Why Axel Von?
I use the name Axel Von for a bit of separation and a clear identity, but every project is my own.
What I bring
My work draws on a few capabilities that don’t always overlap: simplifying complicated information, applying brand systems across demanding formats, and managing production with accuracy and fortitude. I care about typography, hierarchy, and how the work holds up once it leaves the screen.
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Established teams with strong brands and complex projects tend to get the most from our work together. I integrate quickly, lighten the load, and make sure the final product is polished and ready. I’m pretty easy to work with, too.
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If that sounds like what you’re looking for, I’d like to hear from you.